Coupling arrangement for polishing machine



Dec. 29, 1964 L. V. ARONSON ll, ETAL COUPLING ARRANGEMENT FOR POLISHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS L 0 luls HA r0 726022,]!

frrzesi S. Erickson Se ar ecgppo orii ORNEYS 1964 L. v. ARONSON n, ETAL 3,162,876

COUPLING ARRANGEMENT FOR POLISHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS lauds HArorzsomfl Z'rrzes ZJTFFL'OJCJOIZ United States Patent Oflflee COUPLING ARRANGEMENT FOR POLISHING MACI-mJE Louis V. Aronson II, Far Hills, N.J., Ernest S. Erickson, Wilmington, Del., and Seymour Rappoport, Rumson, NJ assignors to Ronson Corporation, Woodbridge, N .31, a corporation of New .llersey Filed Dec. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 244,784 8 (Jlaims. (Cl. 1528) This invention relates to an arrangement for coupling attachments to a polishing machine, and it more particularly relates to such an arrangement for a shoe-polishing machine.

A number of implements are required for polishing a pair of shoes. A power-operated shoe polishing machine of the type described in US. Letters Patent 3,027,585 accordingly can utilize a number of interchangeable rotatable implements including a polish applicator, a brush and a buffer. The changing of such implements usually requires that they be grasped in the hand. This requires time and also is likely to soil the hands, particularly when a polish applicator is handled.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and convenient coupling for conveniently attaching and detaching interchangeable implements upon a rotating polishing machine such as a shoe-polishing machine.

Another object is to provide such a coupling means which can be actuated without touching the implements.

In accordance with this invention a flange is mounted upon the rotating shaft of the polishing machine. A stem is reciprocally mounted within the shaft and extends concentrically through it. Cooperating magnetic elements are mounted upon the bottom of the flange and the tops of the implements for attractive engagement with each other, and central holes are provided in the top surfaces of the implements for receiving the shaft stem. The stem may accordingly be easily inserted within holes in the tops of the implements when they lie functional ends-down within a tray to align the magnetic elements on the flanges and implements for guiding their engagement even when the stem and shaft are rotating. A pair of corresponding projections upon the flange and implements engage each other for transmitting the rotation of the flange to the implements. The implements are conveniently disconnected and dropped from the flange by moving the stem axially against the implements thereby pushing the magnetic coupling elements out of engagement with each other. Engagement and disengagement without requiring manual handling of the implements is facilitated by a loosely reciprocating stem actuated by a resiliently supported button. The flange may be cup shaped for enclosing its own magnetic element and angularly engaging the tops of the implements when magnetically attached thereto.

Novelfeatures and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view in elevation of portions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of interengaging portions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 1 is shown a shoe-polishing machine having a cup-shaped flange 12 attached to its rotating shaft 14. A stem 16 is concentrically mounted to loosely reciprocate within shaft 14, and it normally has its end hanging loosely a short distance below flange 12. But- 2 3,162,816 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 ton 18 is resiliently biased upwardly, and it is used to force stem 16 down for disengaging implements as later described.

Three shoe-polishing implements 20, 22 and 24 are shown standing with their functional ends down within a tray 26. These elements are received within recesses 23 within a liner 30 inserted within tray 26 which retains implements 2t 22 and 24 in place for convenient magnetic pickup without manual handling. Implement 20 is for example a polish applicator later described in detail in conjunction with FIG. 2. Implement 22 is a brush, and implement 24 is a rotating buffer of the type de scribed in US. Letters Patent 3,027,585, modified for magnetic pickup. 1

As shown in FIG. 1, a permanently magnetized ring 32 which produces a magnetic field is mounted within flange 2 and within cup-shaped flux concentrator 33. Ring 32, concentrator 33 and flange 12 are secured upon the end of hollow shaft 14 by circular nut 35. A magnetic ring 34 which is attracted by the magnetic field produced by ring 32 is mounted upon the top of each of implements 29, 22 and 24-. Each of these implements also incorporates hole 36 concentrically disposed upon their top surfaces for receiving end 15 of stem 16 in a manner later described for aligning permanently magnetized element 32 with magnetic rings 34 during engagement. The lower end 15 of stem 16 hangs loosely down a distance below flange 12. It thus freely rides over the tops of the implements and drops into holes 36 for guiding the coaxial alignment of magnetized element 32 with magnetic rings 34. Implements 20, 22 and 24 include projections 37 extending from their sides for engagement with a corresponding projection 38 within flange 12 later described in detail. Projections 37 and 38 provide angular locking for transmitting rotation between flange 12 and engaged implements 2t), 22 and 24.

As shown in FIG. 2, magnetized ring 32 made of a strong permament magnetic material, such as Alnico or a ferrite, is attached underneath flange 12. Flange 12 is secured to the end of shaft 14 by nut 35, and stem 16 is concentrically mounted within hollow shaft 14 and connected to rotate with it through pin 51 and slot 52 in stem 16.

Stem 16 is free to reciprocate within shaft 14 between the upper limit provided by button 18 against which pin 45 at the top of stem 16 reacts and shoulder 47 within shaft 14 which defines a lower limit of travel against which head 42 of stem 16 drops. Pin 51 through hub 53 of gear 55 fastens gear 55 to shaft 14, and it extends through slot 52 in the head of stem 16 to allow stem 16 to move freely up and down. Spring 46 mounted about the upper portion of stem 16 reacts against the top of gear casing 48 and the bottom of operating button 18 to urge it upwardly. I

In the unactuated condition the lower end of stem 16 hangs a short distance below the bottom of flange 12 as shown in broken outline in FIG. 2. Stem end 15 therefore freely rides over the tops of implements 20, 22 and 24- when flange 12 is positioned over them and drops into a hole 36 in the top of implement 2t), 22 or 24. When flange 12 is pushed down upon the top of the implement, stem end 15 is pushed easily upward by contact of shoulder 17 into the position shown in solid outline thereby guiding and facilitating the engagement of an implement by flange 12. When actuating button 13 is depressed, it pushes stem 16 and its lower end 15 downwardly the distance shown in broken outline in FIG. 2 to cause shoulder 17 to bear forcefully against implement 2t and thus push it out of engagement with magnetized ring 32 within flange 12 and accordingly drop it back into its recess in tray 26. This magnetic coupling arrangement accordi'ng-ly permits polishing implements to be rapidly and conveniently .picked up, dropped and interchanged without requiring the implements to be touched by the users hands. This speeds up the polishing operation consider-ablyland avoids troublesome soiling of a users hands. Stem 16 may also be an extension of a solid shaft 14, and implements could then be removed by hand from magnetic engagement .with flange 1-2-or a detaching means might beprovided upon the fiangeitself.

Polish applicator 20 includes for-example a disc-shaped pad 49 *of plastic foam, such as foamed polyurethane, attached to plate 50. An active surface is provided on the bottom "of pad -49 by a layer of short :bristled material 56 attached-t thebottomof foam pad4. Material 56 is for example made trom' sharp bristled mohair with its bristles spaced a short distance from each other, and any similar spacedi'bristled material will also adequately perform the polish-applying function. Mohair is, for example, :a short-bristledipile ofa textile such as nylon or wool. Implement 2t) operates in a uniquely'efiective mannerto apply polish because its shortbristles donot unduly-load up with polish when-the rotating implement is applied to an open can of polish 54 also shown top open in'tray 26. In applying polish, resilient foam pad 49 cooperates with bristled material 56 to Work the polish smoothly and evenlyover the entire surface of the shoe. This makes'the most of a given amount of polish as wellaslrubbin'g it into the shoe, which minimizes the amount of polish-later picked up in the'brush implement 22 that is next used in the polishing operation. This preservesthe life and efiectivenessof brush implement 22 and the time-that'it can'be-used until "it becomes loaded with polish and requires thorough cleaning. 'Troublesome carry-over from one 'colorto anotherby brush 2-2 is also helpfully minimized.

--What is claimed-is:

1. A coupling fmeans for'conveniently attaching and' flange, acent-ral axially disposed'hole in the'tops of said' .implemen'tsgand s'a-idstem being extendable below said liangefor insertion into said holes for axially-aligning said cooperating magnetic elements to engage each other and for applying an axial force against said implements for diseng'agingthem when said stem isfor'cefully extended outwardly.

2. Acoupling means as set forth in-claim 1 wherein said cooperating magnetic elements are ring shaped.

3. A coupling means as-setior'thin claim ,1 wherein said cooperating magnetic elements include an element producing a magnetic field upon said flange and an elementthat is attracted bysaid magnetic .field .upon said implement.

4. A coupling means as set forth in claim 1 wherein said stem is mounted to normally extend a short distance below said flange for insertion into said holes in said implements to guide "said engagement, said reciprocating means including a button which .is mounted upon said polishing-machine above said stem, and said button being biased resiliently upwardly away fromsaid stem thereby requiring forceful pressure against said stem to cause it to contact said implements to dislodge them from'said flange. i

5. A coupling means as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flange-is cup-shapedhaving aside wall for enclosing said-cooperating magnetic elements, and said projection upon said-flangebein-g disposed -.within its side wall whereby said projections upon said flange and implement are conveniently disposed for-engagement-wit h eachother.

6. A couplingmeans as set torthiin claim .1 wherein said-polishing machine is a shoeepolishing machine; said implements comprise a polish applicator, a brush, butter and the like;atr-ay; and said-implements being disposed in said tray with-the. magnetic :elements upon said implemerits extending'upwardlywhereby they are conveniently alternatively picked up by said stem and said magnetic element under said flange.

7. A coupling means for conveniently attaching and detaching interchangeable implements upon a rotating shaftfof a polishingmachine comprising a concentric stern disposed uponthe-bottom.of said shaft a flan-gemounted upon the lower endof said-shafncooperating magnetic elements :upon the bottom of:-said diange and the tops of said implements -for magnetically attaching saidimplements to said flange; mutually engageable projections upon the peripheries of said implements .and said flange for transmitting therot-ation of said stem to saidr implement when each of said implements; is magnetically held in contact with said flange, a. central axially disposed hole in the tops ofzsaid implements, and said stem extending below said shaft fori-nsert-ion into-said holes for axially aligning said cooperating mag-netic elements to engage .eachother.

8. Acouplingmeans as set forth in claim '7 wherein said polishing machine is a shoe-polishing machine; said implements comprise apolish applicator, a brush, a butter and the like; a tray; and said implements 'beingidisposed in said traywithithemagneticelernents-upon said implements extending upwardly whereby they. ar-econveniently .alternativelyipicked .up by saidsstem and said magnetic element under said .flange.

References Citeilin the file. of I this patent UNITED J-STATES 'PATE'NTS 1,396,630 Higbee Nov. 8,.1921 2,697,642 Rudy -Dec.,21, 1954 2,819,905 Stead Ian. '14, 1958 "2,922,933 Mouer et al. 1Jan. 26, 1960 3,027,585 Freedman et a1 Apr. 3, 1962 "3,044,091 lqisltlih'arna July 1"], 1962 

1. A COUPLING MEANS FOR CONVENIENTLY ATTACHING AND DETACHING INTERCHANGEABLE IMPLEMENTS UPON A ROTATING SHAFT OF A POLISHING MACHINE COMPRISING A CONCENTRIC STEM MOUNTED WITHIN SAID SHAFT, RECIPROCATING MEANS MOUNTING SAID STEM TO MOVE ITS LOWER END IN AND OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF SAID SHAFT, A FLANGE MOUNTED UPON THE LOWER END OF SAID SHAFT, COOPERATING MAGNETIC ELEMENTS UPON THE BOTTOM OF SAID FLANGE AND THE TOPS OF SAID IMPLEMENTS FOR MAINTAINING SAID IMPLEMENTS IN CONTACT WITH SAID FLANGE, MUTUALLY ENGAGEABLE PROJECTIONS UPON THE PERIPHERIES OF SAID IMPLEMENTS AND SAID FLANGE FOR TRANS- 